Tokyo Ghoul: PROJECT AXIOM
by kahail
Summary: AU: After a devastating fire at a mysterious experimental research lab run by a pseudo-tech company calling itself RATH CO. three genetically engineered hybrids escape into Tokyo each seeking answers to their unfortunate circumstances and destiny. RATED M FOR GRAPHIC VIOLENCE, ADULT THEMES AND POSSIBLE TRIGGERS.
1. 1: Escape

**Soooo, since it's October and I'm feeling dark and spooky, I wanted to take the time to write something darker and more mature than I usually do. Since I've been really into the Tokyo Ghoul manga and anime as of late, I figured it would be cool to do a cross over with SAO Project Alicization. Honestly, I think the idea of having Kirito, Alice, and Eugeo as ghouls proves quite interesting in the least and I'd love a chance to write more with Kaneki as well as the other characters in Tokyo Ghoul and SAO.**

**So, I present to you, my first crossover fic!**

_**Tokyo Ghoul: Project Axiom**_

_**AU Crossover: Tokyo Ghoul/Sword Art Online: Project Alicization**_

_**After a devastating fire at a mysterious experimental research lab run by a pseudo-tech company calling itself RATH CO. three genetically engineered hybrids escape into Tokyo each seeking answers to their unfortunate circumstances and destiny. When the Eyepatch and the Black Rabbit take in one of these misfits as a ward of the Aogiri Tree, they discover new and terrifying information about the brewing war between humans and ghouls.**_

_**Rated M for graphic violence, adult themes, and possible triggers.**_

* * *

The overwhelming plume of smoke spread, branching quickly throughout the various hallways and causing alarms to deafen any living being to any other sounds. Occasional screams and announcements of an immediate evacuation could barely be heard, choked out from the thick black smoke and warning sirens throughout. On the cell holding floor, another electrical fire had broken out, swallowing most of the front cells in a blaze and shock of flames. Cries and shrieks of the unfortunate specimens being burned alive or choked to death by smoke rose up with the screeching sounds of the alerting sirens. Towards the end of the hallway three cells remained unscathed behind a security door, though the inky black smoke had found its way through the small cracks against the wall and floor. The smoke continued to curl its way around the door, blotting out the various yellow and orange caution signs plastered across and the red lettering above the doors reading:

'EXTREME DANGER EXPERIMENTAL LAB 7: GHOUL WARD'.

Behind the only cell doors three young experimental ghoul hybrids sat chained to the walls of their solitary confinement cells, seemingly trapped against the impending doom burning beyond the security doors. Closest to these doors, the first cell housed a slender black haired ghoul who had already sensed and smelled the fire raging just outside. Throwing his head to the side he gave a loud snarl and ripped his arms away from the wall in a vain attempt to detach himself from his chains. A loud, harsh crack issued from his left shoulder as it dislocated itself from his body and he gave a hiss of pain, thrusting himself back against the wall and jamming the now numb arm back into its shoulder socket. His deep, almost violet gray eyes widened as he looked over his now throbbing shoulder to see that the highest bolt connecting his chains to the wall had loosened ever so slightly. A gasping cackle erupted from his curved mouth, showing pristine white teeth and a lashing tongue. Hunching down and putting his head between his knees he brought the wrist of his throbbing newly relocated arm against his teeth and bit down hard. The sudden rush of blood was warm and tasted strangely appetizing as he tore off a chunk of his own pale flesh and chewed it ravenously. With another sudden scream he arched his back as two glowing purplish-black kagune wings erupted from his shoulder blades, causing a sudden tension that the chains holding him could not handle as he lurched forward. Throwing himself full force against the door he slammed it multiple times before the small glass window finally cracked and he was able to jam his fist through it, followed by his still bleeding wrist, and rip the door open to free himself.

From the cell beside him another ghoul, this one a youthful blonde girl, sat calmly. She chuckled slightly to herself as she heard her cellmate next door thrashing and screaming to escape. The smell of smoke, which was now overwhelming enough to the point of asphyxiation, was welcome to her as she breathed in the harsh chemicals and gave a laughing cough. Tilting her head to the side, her eyes now glowing red, she gave a wicked giggle and sprang forward, two large kagune claws bursting from her lower back and a smaller twisting set ripping through her shoulder blades. Laughing again, she lashed against the wall easily tearing off the chains that she had pretended for years were strong enough to hold her. As she slammed against the door she felt the handle move and the door swing open with the black haired boy standing just beyond it, enveloped by smoke and flames. He spoke no words but grabbed her hand and helped her to her feet. Giving a hissing giggle she nodded to acknowledge her gratitude. The blonde's eyes widened at the prospect of freedom, so close that she could scream, but something else caught her eyes: the third door, silent against the growing choking smoke.

Behind that door was a third specimen: a scrawny towhead ghoul with piercing green eyes. Both the blonde and black haired ghouls had seen him only during occasional times before when they were taken from their cells for experimental trainings. He had always been the most docile of the three, which the other two had looked upon as a weakness. But even now, could they really let this third who had perhaps suffered even more than they under the cruel upbringings in the lab, burn to his death in flames caused by the incompetence of their human masters? Hurling her longer kagune towards the door the blonde slammed the lock repeatedly until it finally heaved and broke under her ferocious power. The black haired ghoul joined in, prying the door open with both his injured and good arm. Throwing the door back the two of them stood in the entrance of the cell staring through the smoke until they could make out the figure of their third cell mate sitting hunched in the corner, his head down and his bony shoulders trembling in fear. The girl stepped forward, wrapping her claws around the chains that bound him to the wall and tearing them out with an easy movement; the sound of the metal screeching as it was torn from its reinforced walls composing the cell. Outside, as the ward doors heaved and buckled under the flames tearing at them from the other side, the air around the three grew hot and dark with their impending fiery deaths creeping towards them. A huge groan rang out as the metal finally gave way to the flames that burst through and the doors crumbled.

The smaller blond still sat, his entire emaciated frame shaking with fear. Though he was the tallest of the three, compared to the other two ghouls he looked weak and sickly, denied of any nutrition or food for weeks, perhaps months. As the flames flickered about the other two, the blonde girl raised her left claw and lashed out, striking the weaker blond across his pale cheek.

"GET UP AND RUN, YOU PIECE OF SHIT! YOU WANNA DIE HERE?"

From behind her the black haired ghoul had already found his exit: the wall, which had become weak against the heat of the licking flames. Beyond it through the crack which the smoke was now beginning to escape through, he could feel a slight breath: outside air.

_Freedom_.

Turning and stretching his kagune wings he shoved the blonde girl and grunted as he threw himself towards the crumbling wall and broke his way out to freedom. From the void in the wall cold night air rushed in momentarily beating back the flames and giving the blonde girl her chance. Throwing a terrifying gaze back at the other blond still huddled in terror, her vicious demeanor suddenly became blank.

"MOVE OR YOU'LL BURN TO DEATH. IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT?" she shrieked over the sounds of flames and sirens.

"OR ARE YOU TOO PATHETIC AND WEAK?"

Stepping into the cell she knelt down in front of the boy and forced his head up with her winding shoulder claw. In the reddish haze his green eyes glowed like some unearthly jewel, while his pupils shrank in fear. The blonde girl gave a frustrated sigh as she pinned him against the wall with her longer claws. Tilting his head further back she thrust her left arm into his slightly open mouth and forced him to bite down. She gave a wince as his teeth bared into her skin causing a stream of blood to splatter across his horrified face. Shoving her arm harder into him she let out a blood-curdling scream, banging his head against the wall in an attempt to get him to swallow the piece of her flesh that she had just had shoved in his mouth. Ripping her arm away, she curled her free claw around the wound binding it tightly as she stepped back from the pale towhead his mouth dripping with her dark red blood.  
"CHEW IT, YOU PIECE OF SHIT AND RUN WHILE YOU CAN!"

Reaching out she slapped him hard across the face and turned to go, looking over her shoulder one last time as she was about to jump out the collapsed wall to freedom. The towhead met her gaze his breaths suddenly labored and heaving against the smoke. Giving a few movements of his jaw and a slow swallow, he let his blood soaked mouth hang open revealing perfect white teeth not unlike her own...but with one mesmerizing difference. Two of his top and bottom teeth curved into four deadly looking fangs. The sight of her own blood crawling down them was enough to make the blonde girl gasp in amazement. Raising his arm in one swift motion the boy wiped the blood off his face, standing shakily to his feet and stumbling towards the girl.

"Alright, I'll run. Thank you." He bowed his head and arched his shoulders.

"Don't thank me, piece of shit, just go!" The girl stepped onto the ledge of the broken wall and leapt. From behind her the weak looking towhead threw his shoulders back and gave a shriek as two large translucent wings tore through his shoulder blades and beat back the flames gathering around him. Throwing his head to the side and giving a roar two more large kagune claws that resembled the tails of a dragon ripped through his white skin at the base of the veiny wings and he thrust himself after the blonde girl, out through the hole in the wall. Feeling the sudden rush of cold air against his face, he beat his wings once, twice and a third time before losing control and crashing to the ground below.

When he opened his eyes he was laying on the ground a few hundred yards from the now burning and collapsing prison that had once held him against his will. The sounds of sirens moving towards the area from behind prompted him to force his now again weakened body to stand (his hedious chimera kagune no longer present) to his feet and turn away. Then he ran, leaping over the fence and falling hard against the ground with a muffled grunt. Heaving himself up again, he continued to run away from the now collapsed building, tripping over his awkward, skinny limbs, but making it out of sight just as the lights and sirens of the fire crews began to appear on the scene. He couldn't risk getting caught, he had to run as far away as he could...from this heinous place.

Away from his cruel masters

Away to freedom

* * *

The two ghouls walked quickly and silently down the darkened street. Outside lighting had been cut off to the 10th and 11th wards for weeks following Aogiri's attack on the nearby power plant. In the cover of night the gang could move around more freely even with the increased amount of Doves circling them on the perimeter of both wards. As they passed by one shop, a dull light emanating from the window shined on the right half of their faces. A TV in the window of a laundromat was airing the nightly news. The shorter ghoul stopped, brushing back his wild purple hair to stare through the window at the TV.

"Hey, Kaneki, look at this! Another fire in the 3rd ward, holy shit..."

Slightly ahead of him the taller, older ghoul turned around, sweeping his white bangs back from his face with a slender hand, revealing two light gray eyes.

"Another fire huh, Ayato? You're way too infatuated with these things, you know..." his voice was monotone and almost lazy as he walked up beside his younger counterpart and read the headline rolling across the screen below the live shots of a crumbled, burning building.

**_This just in_**_: The facilities of start up tech company RATH CO. have succumbed to a violent electrical fire which is believed to have started in one of the building's many research labs. The number of victims is not known at this time, but the company has been gaining notoriety of late for their groundbreaking innovations in technical medical research and experimental tech. The building opened just three years ago following the company's move across the city from the 19th ward..._

"So what?" the white haired ghoul turned away as his companion stood, his eyes glued to the broadcast. "Another stupid tech company up in flames? Maybe the Doves will try and frame it as some sort of ghoul attack? Heh. That'd keep them busy for a while." Throwing his hood over his head he began to walk away. When his younger companion noticed this, he gave an annoyed growl and took a few bounding steps to catch up.

"Shit, Kaneki you made me miss the rest of it!" Ayato grumbled. Then he fell in pace with the white haired ghoul who remained silent.

"You know, there are rumors about that shit company, RATH CO. Word on the street is they were doing experimental medical procedures on ghouls captured by the CCG in that ward. I even heard some guy talking about how they had this project in place to create artificial ghoul hybrids too, fuckin freaks..." his voice trailed off.

Kaneki stopped suddenly, causing Ayato to almost trip over him.

"..the fuck you just say?" he turned, his eyes wide and the left one suddenly glowing red.

Ayato realizing his blunder, backed away. "Hey, no man, I wasn't saying the ghoul experiments were freaks, but who the fuck wants to actually create hybrids like that...it's fucked up...like what they did to you." The usually snarky and fierce boy did grow wary of the white haired ghoul at times. He was strong and wasn't afraid to lash out at anyone who crossed him.

Gaining some of his arrogant swagger back, Ayato flipped his bangs out of his eyes and replied in a firmer voice.

"It's not like the rumors are true anyway, the people I heard it from are pieces of shit who'll believe anything..."

Kaneki turned away from Ayato and shook his head as he started to walk away again.

"Whatever. Let's go Ayato."

"Hey! Wait for me! JERK!" The younger ghoul ran to catch up.

* * *

Breathing hard the towhead stopped in a dark alley to catch his breath. He'd been on the move for hours running until he was winded and forcing himself to walk until he caught his breath and then running again. Despite the fact that he was nearly starved, the small amount of flesh from the blonde ghoul had sustained him enough that he was able to make his way down through the edge of the 3rd ward and through most of the 9th. Turning at the end of the alley, he squeezed between two of the large buildings and found himself on a ledge overlooking the rest of the city. Below him was the 11th ward, which seemed to be in the midst of a blackout, no lights illuminated its streets.

Taking a deep breath the towhead arched his back and gave a low growl as his veiny wings unfurled from his back followed by the twin dragon tail kagune. Leaping forward he glided swiftly down, beating his wings about three more times before he tripped and slammed into a dumpster in the shadows of a building. The crash sent him flying a few yards and he landed sprawled on the pavement his kagune thrown out to either side of him. For a moment he laid there panting and gasping through the shock of his fall: it must have been at least a hundred feet or more. Rolling onto his side and wincing against the pain, he dragged himself along for another yard before heaving himself to his knees and shaking the dust off his hair. He was in another alley and through the street lights were dead and void of light he could see some sort of a faint glow resembling a neon sign towards the end of the alley, probably lit by solar powered batteries.

_Bar and Babes_. _XXX._

"Ugh."

The towhead shook his head again rising slowly to his feet when a sudden sound from the shadows beyond the sign made him freeze.

Two large men had emerged from under the sign talking loudly and waving their arms about. They seemed to be arguing about something and were probably drunk. Sulking back into the shadows the towhead flattened himself against the wall behind pile of empty cartons and held his breath. As the two men came closer their shouts grew louder, they were arguing, but the boy couldn't make out the words because they were so slurred. Suddenly, a huge crash sent his makeshift cover, the crates, flying everywhere as the first man had pushed the second to the ground.

"WHAT THE FUCK MAN WHY YOU PUSHING ME!"

The dark haired man with huge muscles crashed to the ground right in front of the cowering towhead. Pushing himself to his feet he aimed another punch at the man standing before him whose head was bald, reflecting the dim light of the neon sign off it.

"FUCK YOU BRO!" The bald man dodged the punch and sent the dark haired man to the ground again, causing the rest of the crates to crash down and the dim light to illuminate the towhead frozen with fear.

For a moment the bald man seemed still focused on the foe at his feet. But as the towhead gave a slight shift and whimper, the neon light caught his green eyes, causing them to shine out of the shadows like those of a cat caught in headlights.

"Hey! What the fuck!? There's someone spying on us!" the bald man roared, stepping over his fallen partner and reaching out to grab the towhead by the shoulder.

"Huh, what?" The other man had staggered to his feet rubbing his head. "Man, what the hell? You almost knocked me unconscious!" Then he stopped as he saw the bald man drag a scrawny blonde boy into the dim neon light. "Look at this little snitch!"

The towhead squirmed but the bald man was much larger and stronger. His massive hands gripping the towhead's throat as he held him up to the light to get a better look at him. The boy squirmed to free himself and his left eye grew red and his wings trembled as he tried to escape.

"What the fuck? It's a ghoul, a fuckin' one eyed ghoul holy shit!" The dark haired man had now stood up and was standing open mouthed as the other held the towhead up to the light.

"Holy hell, look at this freak's fuckin kagune! It's a fuckin chimera kagune! Shit, I've never seen one myself but I've heard they do exist!" The bald man laughed coldly, giving the towhead a fierce shake and hurling him against the wall. Both men's eyes narrowed and turned deep red.

_Two more ghouls_

Swinging his wings back, the towhead tried to brush them off, but a sudden lurch and the larger bald man had grabbed him and began slamming him against the concrete, bashing his face and shoulder into the ground while the boy shrieked in pain. Behind him the dark haired man was laughing and his eyes were now fiercely red as two sharp kagune, resembling twin knives, ripped their way through his arms. "Man, I've never seen a one-eye in person, but he smells more like a human than a ghoul. _Delicious_. "

The bald man laughed, holding the now bloodied towhead up to the light again. "Too bad he's so skinny! This freak is barely enough for a snack, mostly skin and bones!"

"Yeah, but he still probably tastes _delicious_," the other continued, licking his lips and showing white razor sharp teeth. "If you don't want him, I'd be more than glad for a little midnight snack...haha!"

"Ugh, that's gross man! Fine take him!" The bald man hurled the towhead to the ground and leaned back against the wall. "Just make it quick! Maybe if you eat something you'll sober up again and we can meet the boys down the street."

"Sure," the dark haired man hissed, reaching out and grabbing the towhead by the wing. "I wonder how a fuckin chimera kagune tastes...well, gonna find out!" He hurled the boy up in the air and brought him crashing down so hard that it knocked the breath right out of him. Wheezing, the towhead clutched at his chest as his kagune began to shrink away. His entire body, weakened, began to tremble.  
"Well shit man," the bald spoke up, laughing as he lit a cigarette and shoved it into his mouth. "You've gone and knocked his kagune back into him! You're really an idiot!"  
"I'm sure his..._flesh_...will still taste great!" The dark haired man was now looming over the shrinking towhead who was still desperately trying to regain his breath.

"Well, hurry up already! It ain't like he's gonna fight back!"

"With pleasure, brother!" Now standing above the towhead, the dark haired ghoul gripped him by the back of the neck and lifted him up so that the two were now eye level. The towhead's eyes were wide with terror as he continued gasping to breathe, while the teeth of his predator flashed in the dim light and the man's eyes took aim at the spot of exposed skin between the towhead's neck and shoulder.

"You're gonna taste great, kid," he growled before lurching forward and sinking his teeth into the spot between the nape of the towhead's neck and shoulder. The boy gave a high-pitched shriek as the larger man ripped off a huge chunk of flesh and chewed it with a hideous grunting sound. Then he threw his prey to the ground and spat out a bit of blood from the side of his mouth.

"What the HELL?! You taste bland as fuck, you little runt...maybe it's your organs that are better!" Thrusting his pointed kagune down he pierced the abdomen of the now screaming towhead and with a loud ripping sound slashed him open.

"Alright I've found what I wanted! Now shut the fuck up and let me eat in peace you little BITCH!" Shoving his hand over the screaming boy's mouth he forced his head down and dug his teeth into the exposed wound as the towhead continued to struggle weakly against him. His green eyes rolled back in pain and he fought to stay conscious while the larger man pinned him to the ground, but it was no use he was too weak to fight back. He hadn't eaten in weeks. As his struggling became less and less a sudden callous female voice echoed in his ears.

_Fight it, you little piece of shit, fight it. The pain is your friend. You enjoy the pain! It makes you stronger. Fight it._

Shutting his eyes and finally taking a breath in the towhead lied still for a moment, focusing all his energy on the intense pain radiating from both his neck and abdomen.

_ Yes, you're right! It almost feels...good? There's power in this pain?_

His head felt dizzy and he hissed as he reopened his eyes. With a sudden burst of strength from his dragon tails he shoved the gluttonous predator off of him. Another loud shriek issued from his lips as he dragged himself back into the shadows while his wings, veins curling through them, unfurled and curved over him like a makeshift shield.

"Now you choose to fight back, you little bitch! I've gotten a taste now you're done for!" The black haired ghoul eyes wild with red burning hunger leapt from his spot. The towhead braced himself against the wall clutching his open wound and sobbing as his left wing curved itself at an angle that would do the most damage when his assailant landed.

* * *

"Ayato, did you hear that?" Kaneki spun around as a shrill scream pierced the still night air.

"Man, whatever, someone's probably out hunting. Maybe they caught a Dove?" the other ghoul shrugged and kept walking. A gentle breeze suddenly wafted towards them from where Kaneki had heard the sound. Lifting his head up the white haired ghoul sniffed the cool night air when a familiar scent met his nose.

"Ghoul blood..." he murmured, grabbing Ayato's arm to stop him. "Smell it?"

"No? You're crazy! There's no way you could smell that from this far away," Ayato scoffed.

Another scream ripped through the darkness followed but a faint crashing sound and another shriek. Kaneki's eyes widened then narrowed as his left eye began to glow red.

"We're going to investigate," he announced in his monotone drawl as he sprang up and scaled the side of the building they were walking next to.

"Aw, Kaneki, what the _fuck_...UGH!" Ayato growled and jumped up after his companion. As the two of them reached the top of the building Kaneki leapt again crossing the space between the first and second building then racing across the other buildings towards the scent. Ayato rolling his eyes and grumbling jumped up once more, letting his kagune wings unfurl and followed the white haired ghoul. After the fifth building Kaneki stopped and looked down. A dim light from neon sign partially illumined the alley below where he saw two large figures. _Ghouls_. One was leaning against the wall closest to the neon sign lazily smoking a cigarette. In the shadows the second ghoul had jumped towards something, letting out a fierce growl as he landed, hunched over. When the attacker's shadow moved as he hit the ground the white haired ghoul caught a slight glimpse...a translucent wing with deep red almost purple veins running through it and a thin figure huddled underneath.

_ Another ghoul? He's going to cannibalize him?_

Beside him Ayato rustled."Come ON, Kaneki lets GO! I don't wanna get mixed up in this shit!"

"Shut up," Kaneki pushed him aside and hurled himself over the edge of the building as his kagune released themselves from his lower back. Breaking the fall, he landed right in front of the heaving ghoul who was now standing to his feet ready to finish off his prey.

"Why don't you pick on someone your own size," Kaneki's cold voice rose up into the air as the larger ghoul reeled back at the sight of him.

"What the fuck?! I'm trying to eat here! Get LOST, you punk!" Aiming a sharp kagune he thrust his arm towards the slender white haired ghoul who blocked the punch and shoved him to the ground with the strength of his left claws.

"You think it's fun to terrorize someone smaller and weaker than you?! FUCK YOU!" Hurling the dark haired ghoul up in the air he shook him violently. The bald ghoul against the wall had now dropped his cigarette and charged towards the white haired.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing, man?! Get out of here!" He threw a punch towards Kaneki who dodged it and with the right side of his kagune thrust through the bald man's chest ripping out several of his internal organs. As the bald ghoul wilted to the ground dead, his eyes rolled back in his head and Kaneki turned to his next target, the dark haired ghoul who was struggling to free himself.

"You think you're so big and strong picking on someone weaker and smaller than yourself?! WELL TAKE THIS!" Whipping the man to the side he shook him back and fourth as his victim bellowed in protest.

"You think strength comes from brawn? I'm here to teach...you...a...fucking...LESSON!" Kaneki whipped the other ghoul back and fourth harder and harder only stopping when he finally heard his victim's neck snap. Hurling him to the ground he pierced him through several times before retracting his blood red kagune and spitting on the grotesque faces of the now dead ghouls lying before him.

"What the _fuck?_!" Ayato landed beside him, his hand over his mouth in shock. "Holy shit Kaneki, what the _fuck?!_ That was _insane!_"

"Yeah, whatever," the white haired ghoul turned away and walked towards the shadows where the smaller ghoul was still crouched, semi conscious and sobbing weakly. Kneeling down before him Kaneki waved Ayato to his side and the light fell more evenly on the shaking ghoul whose eyes suddenly met Kaneki's: the right, bright glowing green, and the left red as blood.

"What the _FUCK?_! Another one-eye?!" Ayato burst out breathlessly beside him. "Holy, SHIT! Look at it's fucking kagune its got wings and tails! It looks like a fuckin monster!" The purple haired boy backed away. "A fuckin chimera kagune one-eyed ghoul? No wonder these shit brains were trying to eat it!"

"Shut the fuck up, Ayato," Kaneki pushed him away and approached the smaller ghoul who was desperately trying to disappear against the wall. His eyes were wide with terror and tears were streaming down his blood soaked face. All around him was a pool of deep red blood that reeked of both ghoul and human scents intertwined...a strange scent that even Kaneki couldn't describe. As his eyes adjusted to the dim light he got a better look at the ghoul cowering before him.

"The fuck?" he mumbled under his breath as he bent down and knelt before the terrified towhead. This ghoul was clearly male but also clearly _not _Japanese. His hair was a messy shock of blonde that was visibly untainted with any darker colors save the red spray of blood across it. Under the blood stained face his skin was pale and his features distinctly Caucasian: wide round eyes, a rather pointed nose and sharp cheekbones with a light spray of freckles under the blood splatter. His entire figure was trembling and he was clothed in the plain white clothes of someone who looked like they had just escaped from a psychiatric ward, minus the enormous blood stains and the two open wounds on his neck and abdomen. His two bare feet were covered in dust and his arms were clutching at his neck and abdomen in some vain attempt to stop the profuse bleeding. As Kaneki leaned closer the blond boy gave a whimper, a shiver going through his entire frame as he tried desperately to move away. Seeing the sheer terror in the towhead's eyes Kaneki's expression softened and he reached out his hand gently brushing the wing of the chimera kagune. It felt smooth and rubbery to the touch. The smaller ghoul let out another loud whimper and closed his eyes in fear, tears streaming down his anguished face as he struggled to breathe.

"Please," a single word slipped out among his sobs. "Please...pppleaseee...dooon't...eat me!" Tilting his head back he gave a loud moan and clutched at his wounds as his eyes reopened and met Kaneki's.

"Please."

Standing up slowly Kaneki backed away from the towhead ghoul whose entire expression was faint with blood loss. Glancing to the side, he caught sight of the now dead ghoul who had attacked the towhead. Turning swiftly, he took a few steps over, and raising his hand above his head brought it down with a sickening sound, tearing through the black haired's chest and ripping out his still warm heart. Swinging back around, he leapt towards the gasping towhead and knelt down before him again speaking softly.

"This is the heart of your attacker, eat it, eat it now or you _will_ die."

The towhead shied away. Between gasps his faint voice murmured, terrified.

"No!"

"So you just want me to leave you here to bleed out and die?" a callous chill hissed through Kaneki's voice. "After I saved you from those two savages? How..._ungrateful!"_

"Please," the towhead gasped, his vision fading. "Please, no!"

"Well, let me tell you something, I'm not letting you die, no, not now that I saved you! YOU WILL FUCKING EAT!" Kaneki shoved the heart into the open mouth of the towhead ghoul, forcing his jaw upwards to chew through the thick, tender flesh. Taking the blond's face in his hands he forced the rest of the heart into his mouth and coaxed it down his throat. The whole while the towhead had closed his eyes in horror and weakly struggled, but was unable to resist. As he swallowed the last bit he re opened his eyes, the vision of the serious white haired ghoul before him growing hazy as the blood from his abdomen and neck finally stopped and a thin layer of skin appeared over them as his body reacted to the new found strength from the long needed nourishment. Ayato was now standing at Kaneki's shoulder watching with a mildly horrified expression on his typically handsome, smug face.

"Holy shit, Kaneki, he looks like he hasn't eaten in weeks, look at him!" His voice shuddered as the towhead's eyes rolled back in his head and he crumpled against the wall in a seemingly dead faint.

Kaneki didn't answer for a moment, gazing at the sunken eyes and cheeks of this strange looking ghoul and feeling almost sorry for him.

"No wonder he was attacked like that," Ayato mused aloud. "He's not even Japanese! He looks Western or something...must have stuck out like a sore thumb around here!"

"Oh shut it, Ayato," Kaneki hissed standing back up and gently lifting the towhead into his arms. "Look his kagune have gone back, I think he might make it, but we have to get him out of here!"  
"What? No, we're not taking this _stray_ back with us, Kaneki, _Kaneki!_"

Before Ayato could stop him the white haired ghoul had jumped back up and reached the top of the building before them. With a heavy sigh, Ayato followed him. When they stood at the top with the moonlit sky illuminating their surroundings, Kaneki gazed down at the limp towhead in his arms. Now that he could see the features of his face better, he could guess this ghoul, most definitely of some sort of European descent, was around the same age as himself, though he looked horribly emaciated and pale. Something else caught the white haired's eye as Ayato joined him on top of the roof, sulking.

"Alright what is it_ now_?" the younger boy grumbled.

"Ayato, shh, look, his wrist," Kaneki motioned to the left arm of the towhead, which Ayato grabbed and lifted up towards the light. Around his wrist was a plastic band resembling one that a patient might receive in the hospital. Written clearly across it were the words:

**_SYNTHESIS 32. PROPERTY OF RATH CO. EXPERIMENTAL WARD. DANGER!_**

"What the..._fuck_?" Ayato breathed, letting the towhead's arm drop as he stepped back. "Those fuckers...they were _right_?" He turned towards Kaneki a questioning look on his face.

"Do you think he escaped from that lab that burned down? No way! That was in the 3rd ward! Do you really think he could have run this far?..._Shit!_"

Kaneki didn't answer for a moment before turning to Ayato.

"Either way, we better get him out of here and somewhere safe. If we let him die we won't be able to gain any information from him. Let's go, we'll hide him at the safe house...who knows," a sudden grin swept across his normally serious face, "maybe his friends escaped too? They might be looking for him. Heh."

Ayato raised his eyebrows but decided not to answer as he followed Kaneki off across the buildings into the heart of the 11th ward.

* * *

**Story Notes:**

**\- Project Axiom RATH CO.'s experimental ghoul program derives its name from the Axiom Church the corrupt head of power in Project Alicization's Underworld**

**-I purposely wanted to forgo using the first names of Kirito (the dark haired ghoul in the first cell) Alice (the blonde female ghoul) and Eugeo (the scrawny towheaded ghoul) because I think it adds a air of suspense and mystery to their escape from RATH CO.**

**-Of course each of them does have a first name and a code name proceeded by the word SYNTHESIS and ending with a number, similar to the ritual of naming Integrity Knights in the Underworld by the Administrator. Alice is SYNTHESIS 30, while Eugeo is SYNTHESIS 32 according to their roles as Integrity Knights in the original anime. Kirito never became an Integrity Kinght, but for continuity sake, he will be SYNTHESIS 33 after Eugeo**

**-I know in the original anime/manga Ayato and Kaneki do not get along, just shy of hating each other at first. For this story I prefer to portray them as comrades, not necessarily friends, but companions able to work together relatively reasonably**

**-Kirito, Alice, and Eugeo are the same age as Kaneki during the second arc of Tokyo Ghoul. 19 years old. Ayato is 15.**

**-In the anime and LN Eugeo is described as 'a flaxen haired youth with green eyes', which presents to the reader a more light brown, dirty blond appearance. In this story I prefer to portray him as a 'towhead' which is significantly more blond, almost bleached or ivory white in color. With his bright green eyes and Caucasian features I think he stands out more as a misfit among the Tokyo Ghouls. His light blond hair is an interesting contrast against Kaneki's white hair. Alice is also portrayed as Caucasian and of European descent, while Kirito retains his Japanese nationality.**


	2. 2: The Gentle Ghoul

2:THE GENTLE GHOUL

"Ayato, quick! Grab the first aid kit over in the bathroom," Kaneki, still holding the limp towhead pushed the door of the apartment shut and thrust the deadbolt through the lock. Grumbling, Ayato disappeared for a moment and returned, dropping first aid kit on the kitchen table. Then he disappeared again into the living room where he had most likely slumped onto the couch to watch TV. Giving an annoyed sigh, Kaneki grabbed the kit and walked across the kitchen into the only other room besides the living room and kitchen in the shabby apartment.

The bedroom was sparse and like the rest of the apartment had a slight musty smell and torn wallpaper walls. Laying the unconscious ghoul in his arms onto the mattress on the floor, Kaneki knelt down beside him. Opening the kit, he grabbed a roll of gauze and dropped it beside the towhead as he tore back the rest of the bloodied white shirt to get a better look at the wounds. Though the small amount of nourishment had only just stopped the bleeding Kaneki could tell that any sudden or sharp movements by the towhead would reopen the gashes. Taking the roll of gaze he carefully bound the wound on the shoulder, folding the towhead's arm against his chest in a makeshift sling. The second wound would be harder to bind up since moving the unconscious boy on his side to run the gauze fully around him would cause the fragile skin to break and the wound to reopen. Instead, Kaneki folded several pieces of gauze and pressed the patch gently against the skin, taking a couple pieces of tape from the kit to attach it carefully to the side of the towhead's abdomen.

Standing up, he set the first aid kit aside and watched the other ghoul for a few moments. The unconscious the blond's breathing seemed to have relaxed as his sunken chest and visible ribs rose and fell with slight, even breaths. Turning, Kaneki replaced the first aid kit in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom, and wetting a washcloth in the sink he returned, kneeling again beside the towhead and gently wiping most of the dried blood off his pale face. From the other room he could hear Ayato snoring as he had fallen asleep in front of the TV, playing whatever late night comedy show was typically on during this hour. Giving a small yawn, Kaneki stood up and stretched his arms for a moment, then rubbed his eyes, eager for sleep. Crossing to the edge of the room he slumped into the chair beside the small table next to the mattress on the floor and leaning his head against his hand watched his blond patient until he dozed off.

* * *

The early morning sun peered through the slats of the broken blinds and fell softly on the face of the towhead as he scrunched his nose and inched his head to the side away from the light. Squeezing his eyes shut, he lay still for a moment before opening them and gazing blankly around at his surroundings. He was in a dim room, save for the edges of bright light falling right across his face through the broken, dusty blinds. Turning his head to the side he felt a sharp pain jolt through his shoulder and neck causing him to wince and shut his eyes. When the radiating pain settled, he opened his eyes again and caught sight of the slim white haired ghoul asleep in the chair by the door in the corner of the room. For few moments, the towhead watched him sleeping with his arms crossed against his chest and his head tilted against his left shoulder. From the room beyond, the towhead could hear the faint sound of the TV and then the rustle and footsteps of someone else. Another figure appeared in the doorway, a shorter boy with a smug face and wild purple hair. For a moment he peered into the room, looking first at the white haired ghoul still sleeping soundly, then moving his eyes until they met with the towhead's. Stepping back, the younger ghoul raised his eyebrows, then leaned over and shook the shoulder of the white haired ghoul.

"Kaneki, pssst, _he's_ awake!" The boy's voice was less youthful than his appearance and had a rough, almost mean quality to it.

"Mhm...Ayato, go away..." the white haired ghoul mumbled brushing him off. The younger ghoul continued shaking him until he finally yawned and opened his eyes.

"Look, your _stray_ survived." The ghoul called Ayato spoke again, pointing at the towhead who had began to tremble.

"Huh?" The white haired ghoul, Kaneki, caught sight of the towhead watching him stand up. As he stepped forward and knelt down next to the mattress, the towhead's eyes widened with fear. The younger ghoul, Ayato was now standing behind him looking mildly interested.

"You're awake?" Kaneki brushed the towhead's bangs away from his eyes as the other ghoul whimpered in fear. He felt a slight pang of guilt and spoke again, this time more softly.

"Hey, we're not going to hurt you. Actually, I brought you here after those other ghouls attacked you. It's safe here. My name is Kaneki," he motioned over his shoulder, "This is Ayato."

Trembling, the towhead brought his free hand up and brushed it across the makeshift sling and against the now bound up wound on his neck and shoulder. He gave a little gasp and shifted his weight as if he was trying to sit up.

"Be careful," Kaneki reached out and helped him sit up slightly so he could get a better look at them. "You're really weak, those guys did a lot of damage to you."

"Oh," the towhead's mouth hung open a little bit. "Uh, thank..you..."

"You're a ghoul aren't you?" he added in a soft whisper.

"Yeah," Kaneki nodded slightly, "We both are..."

"Oh," the towhead looked down and away from them.

"How do you feel?" Kaneki asked again, trying to get the other to look at him.

"Alright," the towhead shivered slightly and looked back at Kaneki, his eyes still filled with fear.

"Well, that's good. You'll need to rest and eat to gain your strength back. You can stay here with us until then," Kaneki offered. "This place is pretty hidden, no one should bother you here. By the way, what's your name?"

"Oh, thank you," closing his eyes the towhead bowed slightly. Then he met Kaneki's gaze again, "My name is _Eugeo_, Synthesis 32...but I guess you can just call me Eugeo." His voice was soft and shaky.

From behind Kaneki, Ayato gave a snort. "_E u g e__ o_?" He laughed, "Like the same word and kanji for 'gentle'?!"

"Yes." The towhead answered, looking down at his hands in an almost ashamed manner.

Ayato laughed again. "That's the most _ridiculous_ name I've ever heard for a ghoul! _Gentle_? Hahahaha ghouls are far from that!" He broke off, snickering.

"Shut up, Ayato, stop being a prick!" Kaneki shot a dark glance over his shoulder at him.

"I can't! I mean this guy had the fuckin monster chimera kagune and everything and you're telling me that _Eugeo_, the same kanji for _gentle_ is your name! I _can't!_" He turned and howling with wicked laughter, disappeared out into the kitchen.

"Sorry about him, he's an ass," Kaneki turned back towards Eugeo who had crossed his good arm against his chest and injured arm and started to tremble again. "Honestly, for the most part he's harmless too."

"No, it's okay," Eugeo mumbled. "He's not wrong. They gave me that name because it suits me..." he trailed off, closing his eyes.

"They?" Kaneki started to ask. Then he noticed the rather pained look on Eugeo's face and decided he wouldn't push the subject anymore. For a moment he gazed at the towhead, who seemed to be trying to gain some sort of composure as he began to speak softly again.

"Thank you again for saving me, Kaneki-san," he bowed his head as he brought his unbandaged hand up and brushed it across his long, shaggy bangs.

"Just Kaneki," the white haired ghoul reached out and touched Eugeo's arm gently. "Look, if you're feeling a little stronger, you should take a shower and get all these blood stains off you. I have some warmer clothes you can wear too. Of course, if you'd rather sleep..." he trailed off.

"Oh, thank you, perhaps I should." Eugeo nodded slightly. "I can't say I feel that great, but I'm definitely stronger now that I've slept...did you bandage these wounds yourself, Kaneki?" His green gaze met Kaneki's gray stare.

"Um, yeah. I'm not very good at it, but at least the bleeding stopped. You're lucky, if you weren't a ghoul you'd be dead..." Kaneki's voice faded again.

"That's true." Eugeo glanced up at the ceiling and gave a small sigh. Then he leaned forward, swinging his feet off the side of the mattress and giving a wince of pain as he forced himself very shakily to his feet. At first he leaned forward, gasping through the sharp pain running through his shoulder and abdomen. Kaneki had nearly jumped to his feet, worried that the weaker ghoul might collapse, but Eugeo took a few deep breaths before standing up as straight as his injuries would allow and meeting Kaneki's eyes with a slight smile on his face. Now that they stood facing each other, it appeared that Eugeo was close to the same height as Kaneki, though slightly shorter. He was so thin that his ribcage and sternum were clearly visible, moving with each shallow breath he took. His collarbone and shoulders were sharp and pronounced and like his face, while his entire skin complexion was very pale and dusted with a light spray of freckles. Perhaps it was his emaciated frame, but he appeared small, even more so than the much younger Ayato. Kaneki's eyes darted away, not wanting to stare too much at the pitiful state of Eugeo.

"Well then, I'm sure a warm shower and some better clothes will help you feel better then." He forced a small smile as he ventured into the bathroom and turned the water on. "Give it a few minutes, it'll get warm...". Eugeo now stood behind him, looking curiously around the small bathroom and catching his own gaze in the cracked mirror above the sink for a moment. Kaneki had walked around him and back into the other room, returning moments later with a few towels and a neatly folded pile of faded black clothes.

"Here, they might be a little loose, but they're clean and warmer than what you were wearing. You wouldn't think it, but Tokyo gets rather cold this time of year...I'm surprised, you didn't even have shoes or a jacket on when we found you."

Eugeo smiled again, looking slightly embarrassed. "Thank you," he bowed his head.

"Well take all the time you need," Kaneki nodded. "I'm going to go and make some coffee, I'll save some extra for you if you'd like." Before Eugeo could answer, he had closed the door behind him and left the towhead standing in the now steam filled bathroom alone, with his own reflection fading into the foggy, cracked mirror.

* * *

Stepping forward and wiping some of the condensation off the mirror with his shaky hand, Eugeo stared at his reflection for a few moments before the warmth from the steam caused the mirror to refog and erase the vision of his hollow face still spattered with dried blood. It was strange to see his own reflection, in fact Eugeo had only ever seen himself in a mirror a few times before; when he had been paraded through the halls of RATH CO. for experiments and happened to pass by one. A small shiver went through him as he turned away and reached his hand into the shower, letting the warm water fall against it. Pulling his hand away he carefully removed the rest of his tattered, bloodstained clothes, then gently unbound the gauze from his shoulder and abdomen. The skin underneath was still fragile and red, especially on the deeper wound. It stung to the touch, but had healed enough that the water would cause no further damage. Both wounds burned fiercely as he stepped under the spray, causing him to audibly gasp and clutch his arms against himself. For a few moments he stood, shaking against the pain as the warm water flowed over him. As the pain evened out, he let his arms drop to his side and leaned against the wall of the shower for a moment before slowly sliding down to sit, still against the wall and put his head against his knees as he watched the dried blood swirling around his feet and down the drain. Running his hands through his hair, he watched as more bloodstains disappeared into the warm water around his feet. Then he tilted his head up and let the water run against his face for a moment before he buried his head against his shaking knees again and covered by the sound of the running water, began to sob uncontrollably.

After a few minutes, Eugeo lifted his head and rubbed his eyes as the warm water continued to flow over and around him. Getting shakily to his feet he turned the shower handle off and leaned against the wall again as the last of the water ran off him and down the drain. As his thin frame started to shiver with the absence of the warmth, he reached over and grabbed the towel, throwing it over his head and then pulling it down and wrapping it around himself. Stepping from the shower to stand in front of the sink, he again wiped the foggy mirror and stared at his pale, green-eyed reflection for a moment before grabbing the second towel and throwing it over his head. When his hair was damp and his body dry, he pulled on the clothes that Kaneki had given him and ran his hand through his hair as he glanced at himself one more time: a sad, pale face with hollow emerald eyes. Turning away, Eugeo clutched his arms around himself, as if even his own reflection caused him fear.

* * *

Kaneki was sitting in the kitchen holding a cup of warm, steaming liquid as he slowly flipped through the pages of a book. He turned when he heard the soft footsteps of the towhead, who had stopped and looked almost afraid that Kaneki had noticed him

"Hey, Eugeo," Kaneki pushed his book to the side. "Are you warmer now? Let me get you some coffee?" He stood up before the towhead could answer, and taking another cup, poured a warm dark liquid in it. Then reaching to the side, he produced a small brown paper bag from the drawer below and taking out a small brownish cube, he plopped it into the coffee cup and stirred it a few times with a spoon. He turned and offered the cup to Eugeo.

"Here, try this."

"What's in it?" Eugeo hesitated, but then reached out and took the warm cup into his shaky hands.

"Coffee..." Kaneki trailed off. "And something to help your hunger a bit. It's sort of a secret recipe. Just try it." He looked a little embarrassed.

"Coffee..." Eugeo repeated lifting the cup to his lips and taking a sip of the hot, brown liquid. It tasted both bitter and aromatic, but its scent was soothing and the warmth from the liquid flowed down his throat into his stomach and spread through his shaky limbs.

"Wow, this is pretty good," he murmured.

Kaneki nodded. "It's one of the few things both ghouls and humans can enjoy." He had sat down again and flipped open the book beside him.

"But you added something to it?" Eugeo sat down cautiously in the chair across from him and gazed into the cup before taking another few sips.

"Trust me, just drink it and don't worry about it," Kaneki answered. "The ghoul who gave them to me said the same thing when I asked. Of course, it won't completely cure your hunger...you will still have to eat." He flipped through another page and remained silent for a moment.

"The area of the 11th ward we are in is an easy hunting ground. It's mostly controlled by the Aogiri Tree, which is the same organization that Ayato and I belong to. Most of the time no one else will bother you here..." he trailed off.

"_Hunting_?" Eugeo took another sip of his coffee, his eyes wide. "You mean you actually hunt humans for food?"

Kaneki sighed and closed his book again. "Unfortunately, yes. What other choice do we have?"

"I don't know. I've never actually hunted anyone before..." Eugeo shuddered. "Aren't there other ways?"

"Well," Kaneki rested his chin in his hands, "Most humans would prefer not to be eaten alive. As I'm sure you know." Eugeo's eyes widened and he focused his attention back to the cup of coffee he had curled his hands around.

"It's not like we can eat anything else," Kaneki sighed and pushing the book away from him, stood up and began to wash his empty coffee cup in the sink. Eugeo continued to watch him with an upset expression on his face.

"So, where you came from you didn't have to kill to eat, huh?" Kaneki glanced over his shoulder at Eugeo.

A strange look overcame Eugeo's face for a moment as he continued to stare at the cup of coffee in front of him.

"Well, we were taught to kill, but not for food," his voice was monotone and his eyes had widened a bit. "The food we were given, I don't know where it came from. We were trained to kill, but never to eat those we were supposed to target..." he stopped speaking abruptly and clutched his hands against his mouth as if he had said too much.

"What?" setting the cup down, Kaneki came and sat across from the towhead ghoul whose green eyes had widened even more, his pupils dilated with fear. "What do you mean _trained to kill_?"

"I've said too much already," Eugeo mumbled, his cheeks suddenly flushed as he nervously put his hands down and stared at them. "When I escaped from that place, I vowed I wouldn't think about what they had done to me and what they had created us to do..."

"Us?" Kaneki leaned towards him. "There were more than just you?"

Eugeo looked scared again, but answered softly. "Yes, there were three of us that escaped. The others though, I don't know where they went. It's not like we were friends, we were just all prisoners in the same place." He glanced back up at Kaneki. "Look, I can't speak of what happened before...that place...I..." he trailed off as his voice got choked up. "The things we were trained for...horrible things...horrible." He broke off again and sobbed into the cup of coffee he had picked up and pressed against his lips.

Kaneki watched him for a moment, feeling sorry for this strange ghoul. Now that it was clear that Eugeo had escaped from RATH CO. he must be protected at all costs, until they were able to locate the other ghouls and figure out just what RATH CO. had been using them for. However, for the time being, Kaneki decided he wouldn't ask any more questions, instead he spoke again softly.

"Well, either way, you will have to eat, Eugeo."

The towhead put the cup of coffee down and shook his head slightly.

"I can't. I don't want to."

His words and his pained expression brought a flood of memories back to Kaneki: when he himself was a scared ghoul, afraid of losing his little bit of humanity by consuming human flesh. He could still hear the callous voice of Touka telling him to eat and forcing a piece of flesh between his teeth. A sudden chill ran down his spine. It had been a long time since he had seen Touka or any of the Anteiku ghouls, but in his heart he had remained thankful for everything they had done for him in the past. Focusing his attention back to Eugeo, he spoke up again, this time slightly more firm.

"But, you'll have to eat...you can't just let yourself starve to death."

"I can't bring myself to, not after everything. I want to leave it behind." Eugeo shut his eyes and clenched his fists. "I don't want to be like this anymore!"

"There's nothing you can do about being a ghoul," Kaneki stood up and took the empty cup from Eugeo and placed it into the sink. "You _will _die if you don't eat, so eventually you will have to." He turned away before his voice became too callous.

"Look, Ayato and I will go out tonight, whatever we find we will bring you leftovers and you will eat."

Eugeo didn't speak but hung his head and crossed his arms against his chest.

"Until then, you should rest," Kaneki's voice softened and he placed a hand on Eugeo's shoulder. "Besides nourishment, sleep will do you good."

Without answering, the towhead ghoul rose slowly from the chair he was sitting in and nodding slightly at Kaneki, disappeared into the bedroom where he wilted onto the mattress and cried himself to sleep.

* * *

When Eugeo woke up again, it was nighttime. The entire room was dark save for the sliver of light that crept under the door from the kitchen beyond. Rolling from his back to his side, Eugeo winced slightly at the now dull pain in his neck and shoulder and pulled himself up to sit for a moment before rising to his feet and crossing the room to peer out through the door.

The kitchen was empty, but the lights were on and the TV in the living room was airing the nightly news. Eugeo gazed around for a moment before crossing the kitchen and slumping down onto the couch to read the headlines rolling across the screen.

_In other news: RATH CO. addresses the vicious fire that broke out in their newest research facility in the 3rd Ward. Local police and fire say that at least 12 casualties were counted and various other RATH CO. employees are still unaccounted for. When asked about any of the experimental medical tech projects the company has been working on recently, RATH CO. spokespeople declined to comment._

Turning away Eugeo shuddered slightly, wondering how far his other companions had gotten away from the facility. If they had been caught, surely the news would report on it? Perhaps not, especially since the nature of their origins was so heinous. Before he had more time alone with his thoughts, Eugeo heard a door close and glanced up to see the white haired ghoul, Kaneki staring at him from the kitchen, his expression serious and a large brown paper back clutched against his chest. For a moment, Eugeo stared back at him, a curious look on his face. Then the scent hit his nose, a familiar, sweet, enticing scent..._flesh_.

Eugeo backed away against the couch pillows, trying to make himself disappear among them, as Kaneki spoke.

"I've brought you some food, it's time you eat."

"No!" Eugeo jumped up from the couch and took a defensive stance before the taller, serious looking ghoul. "I told you, Kaneki-san, I _don't want to eat!_"

"You don't have a choice," Kaneki turned away from him and placed the bag on the kitchen table before going and washing his hands in the sink. Eugeo watched as faint bloodstains ran off the other ghoul's hands and glanced back at the bag which was also smeared with blood in a few places.

"You should consider yourself lucky," Kaneki continued, his voice rather cold. "Most ghouls wouldn't go out of their way for someone like you. But where I come from, there are ghouls who are too weak and cowardly to hunt for themselves. I pity them. I was once one of them. Now come here and eat."

Eugeo stood at the edge of the kitchen, horror spreading over his face. The smell was now overwhelming and he could feel his body, anguished and starved for food, pulling him towards the bloodied bag on the table. Kaneki took a step towards him and reached out, grabbing the towhead's scrawny arm and pulling him into the light of the kitchen.

"Eugeo, if you want to stay here under our protection, you will have to eat to regain your strength. The Aogiri Tree is not a charity."

"Please," Eugeo pulled slightly away from Kaneki. "Please, don't make me, don't make me do this!"

"You will eat or you will _die_," Kaneki's voice was like ice as he shoved the weaker ghoul towards the table. Eugeo wobbled a bit and stood, his eyes wide as he wrapped his arms around his shaking frame.

"I won't force you," Kaneki continued, "But we have no place for those who are too weak to keep themselves alive here. I'm being far too kind compared to Ayato or the others."

"Please," Eugeo couldn't take his eyes off the bag as they widened to the point that most of his face seemed lost below them. His breathing became short and shallow as he clutched at his chest, his left eye suddenly glowing red.

"I don't want to be like _this_!" he moaned, turning away as Kaneki stood next to him and placed his hand firmly on Eugeo's shoulder, forcing him to sit down at the chair opposite the bag.

"You have no choice. This is for your own good."

"Please, you don't understand!" Eugeo cried out, clutching his hand against his mouth as he gave a heaving sob, his whole body trembling uncontrollably.

"EAT!" Kaneki raised his voice for the first time and pushed Eugeo towards the edge of the table. The panicked towhead kept his hand firmly against his mouth and shied away, still trembling. He could hear the callous female voice from before ringing in his ears.

_EAT YOU WEAK PIECE OF SHIT. EAT. _

"No, no," Eugeo murmured, opening his eyes and dropping his hand from his mouth. For a moment he sat there still, staring at the bag of flesh just across from him. Kaneki watched him as suddenly the towhead's entire demeanor changed. His shaking sobs had subsided into a low, growling laughter. As his left eye glowed even brighter the pupil in his right eye grew so large that it now appeared black instead of emerald green. As he continued to tremble, the low growl rose up into a high cackling laughter that caused Kaneki to jump back, startled.

"NO NO PLEASE!" Eugeo laughed as he reached his shaking arms across the table, clawing at the back and fighting the primal ghoul urge to eat. Throwing his head to the side he gave a snarl and tore open the bag with his shaking fingers, reaching in and grasping at the flesh inside.

"NO NO NO! I DON'T WANT TO BE LIKE THIS! HAHAHAHAHAHA!" His crazed voice turned to high pitched cackles as he lunged forward and began to tear at the contents of the bag not only with his hands but his mouth. Kaneki lurched back again, pressing himself against the wall as he watched the smaller ghoul climb half onto the table, snarling and tearing at the pieces of flesh and organs inside, all the while laughing maniacally as his teeth tore through it. After a few moments he threw his head back and howled with laughter, reaching his now bloodied hands up and clawing at his face in some fanatical sort of glee. Kaneki's eyes widened as he saw the flash of the towhead's open mouth: four deadly curved fangs among the rest of his normal looking teeth. Eugeo had paused for a moment, then his eyes glanced over and met Kaneki's, the once frightened look on his face was now twisted and crazed. Giving a few gasping breaths, the towhead turned away and buried his head into the paper bag, snarling and grunting as his fanged mouth chewed mercilessly through the entire contents. For a few moments, Kaneki dared not approach him. This gentle, frightened ghoul had turned into a heaving monster in just a matter of seconds. Was this why Eugeo had been so hesitant to eat? Or had he been starved so long that his mind could no longer control his body?

As he clawed through the rest of the bag, splattering blood across the table and all over himself. Eugeo's laughter and subsided and he became suddenly still, his face still hidden in the bag. Kaneki took this moment to step forward, cautiously.

"Eugeo?"

"Hmmm..." the blond ghoul murmured something before pulling his head out of the bag. His face was stained with blood and his eyes, the left still glowing red, were wide with terror as he gazed down at his hands, dripping with blood that reeked of human flesh. Gazing down he pushed the torn bag to the side before slamming his bloodied fists on the table and giving a frightened gasp. Turning slowly, he faced Kaneki, who stepped back at the sight of him, eyes wide and his face covered in blood, his pure blond hair also spattered with blood and messed up in his hungered panic. Eugeo gave another gasp and clutched at his hair with his bloodied fingers before throwing his head back and giving an anguished sob.

"What have I done!"

Standing before him, Kaneki couldn't speak. He'd never seen any ghoul devour flesh with such malice and enjoyment at the same time. What had RATH CO. done to this ghoul to make him act like this?

"Eugeo, are you...alright?" the words came out of his mouth before he could stop them.

The towhead however, didn't answer him, but gave another loud moan and buried his head in his hands to sob.

"You had to eat," Kaneki took another step towards him, reaching out to touch his shoulder for comfort.

"NO!" Eugeo snapped, whipping his head up towards the white haired ghoul. "NO!" His voice faded into a hiss and his eyes narrowed.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!"

"Huh?" Kaneki stepped back, surprised.

"I'm a monster!" Eugeo growled, grabbing at his hair again and turning to look at the bloodied mess in front on him. "I'm a horrible, heinous _monster_!" He gave another snarl and clutched his arms against himself, trying to stop his body from shaking uncontrollably, before he keeled over against the table in a dead faint.

* * *

**CHAPTER 2 IS HERE. I've been taking a really long time on this and I apologize. I've been so focused on my main fic and work that I haven't had a long of time to flesh out this story. It's starting to come together though and I am excited to see where it goes. **

**1- The name Eugeo (YU-JI-O ) contains the traits of being gentle, working fast, and honesty (from SAO WIKI and light novel). In this fic I've taken his name more to 'literally' mean "gentle" and since the "gentle ghoul" is not only an ironic alliteration but is important to Eugeo's development as a character. **


End file.
